The (White) United States of Europe
John Sheehan
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(Click here to read the full article) (...) We are enthralled by the action but bored by the routine. Every story about abortion, for instance, is the same story so no one pays attention. Details are no longer necessary; they interfere with the message. We think we already know how the story will come out. It is the same for the environment, taxes, and foreign affairs—except for war, because no one knows how it will turn out. This is why sports, crime, and war are always popular. We can’t be certain how they’ll play out, so we pay attention. We rely heavily on experience and authority, not learning or critical thinking. Religion and ideology, instead of being sources of inspiration, have become cults that are hostile to self-examination. Authority is suspect because it is nonsensical and predatory, but we are psychologically dependent on its good will, so we believe and obey it. Justification is made on television talk shows—a civic experience everyone shares, so our reaction to things is highly predictable. Success is therefore based on creating an experience for which the reaction can be predicted in advance. That is how politics are conducted today. So is business. Vacuous celebrity culture, immediate gratification, and zealotry are too ethereal to cohere a nation. Terror is always preceded by absurdity. Fascism is always preceded by atomization (...) (Click here to read the full article) JOHN SHEEHAN is a bank economist who lives and works in Boston, where he focuses on international economic strategy. He is also the president of the Beacon Foundation. |
